Although a past and continuing objective has been to better understand the biological roles of neuropeptides in these processes (especially two related peptides VIP and PACAP), current efforts have expanded considerably to investigate general processes impacted by neuropeptides, including innate immune mechanisms that operate in astrocytes and microglia, adaptive immune mechanisms that involve T-helper subsets and myeloid cells and mechanisms that mediate tumor immunoeradication and immunoescape.

As critical tools in its investigations, Waschek’s laboratory has generated several neuropeptide-deficient and reporter mice and has utilized several transgenic and conditional knockout mouse strains that alter the phenotype of astrocytes and myeloid cells. These have been applied to models of pediatric brain tumors nerve trauma, premature infant white matter injury, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease.